The U.S. canoe-kayak slalom team speak with sincerity abouthow highly they value walking away from the London Olympics witha performance they can be happy with, and that success would bea well-executed game-plan.

That is, until team veteran and three-time Olympian ScottParsons - a competitor in the men's single kayak event -interjects.

"We do all want medal though, let's make that clear," hesaid, prompting guffaws from his team mates and making clear thecompetitive ambition running below the surface of thefive-person team.

Singles canoe racer Casey Eichfeld, the only other athletewith previous Olympic experience in the team, quickly adds:"Maybe there are athletes out there who want to come to theOlympics just to solely compete in the Olympics. But I thinkeach and every one of us up here we want medals, you know?"

To achieve that goal the U.S. team face an uphill struggle.

Larimer and Hurd must overhaul the all-conquering Slovakiantwins Pavol and Peter Hochschorner if they are to win thecountry's first gold medal in the event since the 1992 BarcelonaOlympics.

"They're a very very strong team. Absolutely fabulouspaddlers, flawless. They're masters at the sport," said Hurd.

"(But) once you crunch the numbers down to those final sixathletes, in our sport there's so many variables. They couldtake a touch or kinda bobble on a move and take a couple ofseconds and there's other people that can slide in."

Even if the duo are unable to bring home a medal, Larimeradmits that one souvenir from the games will mean a lot to hisfather, a fellow canoer who missed out on a place at theBarcelona Olympics.

"He's just excited to come over and watch ... and he wantsthe tie from the opening ceremony."